2 There shall be a department of the Government of Manitoba called "the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development", over which the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development for the time being, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under the great seal of the province, shall preside.

3 A deputy minister and such other officers and employees as may be required to carry on the affairs of the department may be appointed or employed as provided in The Civil Service Act.

Information, etc.

4(1) The minister through the department, may inquire into, and collect information and statistics relating to, agriculture, food and rural life, and shall disseminate such information as the minister may deem advisable.

Extension programs

4(2) The minister, through the department, may, as he or she may deem advisable, institute and carry out programs, projects, and undertakings relating to any aspect of agriculture, food, or rural communities, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, educational, advisory, and promotional programs, projects, and undertakings relating to those and related matters.

4.1(1) The minister may require any person, organization or government department or agency to provide information relating to food or food premises, as those terms are defined in The Food Safety Act, which the minister considers necessary to identify, assess, plan for and deal with any emergency, including a pandemic, that causes or may cause a significant disruption of Manitoba's food supply.

Collection on minister's behalf

4.1(2) The minister may authorize any person, organization or government department or agency to collect information under subsection (1) on his or her behalf.

Duty to provide information

4.1(3) A person, organization, government department or agency that is required to provide information under subsection (1) must do so.

5 With the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the minister, on behalf of the government, may enter into an agreement with the Government of Canada, or a minister acting on behalf of the Government of Canada, or any agency of the Government of Canada, for undertaking jointly with the Government of Canada or an agency thereof, and sharing the costs of, projects respecting the development, utilization and conservation of the natural resources of the province, or for increasing the income and employment opportunities of people in rural areas, or respecting research and investigation in those matters, or for any or all of those purposes.

Joint programs

6(1) The minister, through the department, or in co-operation with the Government of Canada or the government of any other province or any agency thereof, or any person or association, may cause to be undertaken programs, projects, or undertakings relating to agriculture or food or affecting rural areas; and, with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the minister, on behalf of the government, may enter into agreements respecting the contribution by the government to the costs of such programs, projects, or undertakings.

Special services

6(2) The minister may provide services relating to programs, projects, or undertakings instituted or being carried out through the department to persons or organizations and require charges to be paid therefor by the persons or organizations receiving the services.

7 With the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the minister, on behalf of the government, may enter into agreements with governments of other provinces, municipalities or other public bodies respecting matters relating to agriculture or food or affecting agricultural areas.

8 With the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the minister may, in accordance with The Land Acquisition Act, acquire by purchase, lease, expropriation, or otherwise, land for the purposes of any project, program, or undertaking of the government relating to agriculture or food.

9 The Minister of Finance, on the requisition of the minister, may make grants to any person or association for the purposes of assisting in, or promoting, the development of agriculture or food or any aspect thereof or the development of rural areas, or for purposes of assisting in developing higher standards of living or greater opportunities in rural areas.

10(1) Where, under this Act or any other Act of the Legislature, power or authority is granted to, or vested in, the minister,

(a) to enter into any agreement; or

(b) to execute or approve any transfer, deed, or other conveyance or any agreement, lease, caveat, plan, or other document; or

(c) to issue, grant, suspend, or cancel any permit, licence, or authority; or

(d) to execute, issue, or approve any order, requisition, warrant, or document, for work, purchase of goods, quotation of prices of articles or materials, or other purpose; or

(e) to do any other act or thing;

the minister may, by written authorization, approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, delegate that power or authority to the deputy minister or other person employed under the minister in the department, subject to such limitations, restrictions, conditions, and requirements as the minister may impose and as are set out in the written authorization.

Limitations to be observed in exercising delegated powers

10(2) In exercising any power or authority so delegated, the person to whom it is delegated is bound by, and shall observe and conform to, any limitations, restrictions, conditions, and requirements so imposed by the minister or to which the minister is subject in exercising the power or authority under the Act in which it is granted to, or vested in, him or her.